One day
by gothina234
Summary: It only took a day for Spencer Reid to gain a daughter. As tragedy strikes one family, Reid refuses to let one little girl be lost to the system, a little girl who has never heard of the Reid effect. One shot.


**Hey, everyone. Not a round of updates but the one shot I promised last week, I chose to keep it back for a while as I wasn't sure it was good enough to put up. This idea just popped into my head and I really like writing Reid this way. Enjoy and I look forward to hearing from you all. **

**Enjoy and please review**

**All mistakes are my own**

Reid walked into the BAU bullpen to hear a baby crying nearby, he walked down the steps and over to JJ. "Where is that noise coming from?"

JJ pointed to a window that showed a baby inside one of the meeting rooms. "Poor girl," JJ shook her head. "She's only six months old. She's been brought here in protective custody till they find her uncle, he turned into a family annihilator. He's killed so many of his family including Rosie's parents."

"What will happen to her?"

"Most likely, she'll be put in the system where she might find a new home."

"It's unusual for babies to be brought here for protective custody," Reid pointed out.

"Local police and the agents working the case agreed that this was the safest place for her, her uncle butchered her three-year old brother, they don't want to take any chances."

"Is it normal for a baby to cry for so long?"

"They've tried everything but she just keeps crying," JJ sighed. "Garcia has tried and I've tried, even Hotch tried to calm her down but nothing works. Why don't you go and try?"

"Have you ever heard of the Reid effect?" he smirked at her. JJ took his coffee cup out of hand and slid his satchel off his shoulder. "Spence, please. I think some of the other agents are getting a little annoyed."

He made his way to the room, knowing that this wasn't going to end well, the only children that didn't cry or feel strange around him were Henry and Jack. He knocked on the door and recognized the woman trying to calm the baby down as Agent Janet Ray. "Sorry, JJ sent me in here to see if I could help. I don't think I can though. What is her name?"

"Her name is Rosie Wilson," Janet sighed. "She's lost her entire family. I can't get her to stop crying."

Reid walked over and stood in front of the car seat that held the baby, he reached out and touched little Rosie's hand. Silence fell over the room as Rosie stopped crying and stared at Reid, her small fingers wrapped around one of his fingers. She stared for a few seconds more before cooing and smiling at him. Janet look at him with a look of awe. "How did you do that?"

"I didn't do anything," he shrugged, surprise running through his mind. He turned back to Rosie and smiled at her. "Hi, Rosie. My name is Spencer."

Rosie's face began to scrunch up, he watched the way she moved her body and quickly got her from the car seat, he figured that she was uncomfortable and wanted to stretch properly. He picked her up and held her in his arms and against his chest. She let out a small yawn before stretching her tiny arms and legs.

"She's screamed when anyone has tried to pick her up," Janet said, still shaking her head in disbelief.

Hotch came into the room and let out a small chuckle. "So much for the Reid effect. She seems to like you."

"I'm just holding her," Reid shrugged. "Babies usually don't like me, I don't understand why she keeps smiling at me. I'm not doing anything."

"Babies are strange and full of surprises," Janet said.

"I better get back to work, she seems calm now," he said before passing Rosie into Janet's arms. He only took two steps before the baby started screaming and crying. Janet stepped forward and motioned for him to take the baby back. He cradled the little girl again and watched her tears stop and her frown turn into a smile.

"Agent Hotchner, sir," Janet began. "I need to help my team find Rosie's uncle before he hurts anyone else to get to her, permission to borrow Spencer here to care and protect Rose."

* * *

><p>Reid found himself using Morgan's office for the day, Morgan was using his desk to do his work, the baby needed as much peace as she could get and it allowed the agents in the bullpen to work. Garcia had brought along the babies things as well as stuff she had gone out to collect. It was one o'clock and his lunch break but he knew he wasn't going anywhere. As he finished the last file in his pile, he look down to see Rosie sleeping peacefully with her pacifier in her mouth in the sling he had improvised from a spare blanket and had put around his body. He looked up as Garcia silently crept into the room. He put a finger to his mouth signalling Garcia to talk quietly.<p>

"How are things going?" Garcia whispered as she came to his side. "Oh, she's so cute. Look at you, you're the talk of the bullpen."

"Why?" he asked.

"All the women are asking what your secret is and all the men, well they are jealous because the women are getting all gooey over you," Garcia giggled gently. "Seriously though, how are you holding up?"

"It feels strange but nice," he answered honestly. "I woke up this morning thinking that I would just do the same thing I usually do while at work but then this happened. It's nice to be needed by someone. I'm usually the one who needs help. Any news on her uncle?"

"They're still looking," Garcia sighed. "Our team has joined in the effort to find him."

"I should be helping you," he said.

"You're helping us by looking after her and you're helping this beautiful little girl by keeping her calm and looking after her. I've always been told that babies know more than we think. Something about you makes her feel safe. You might have to spend the night here if we don't find her uncle by then. I'm sure Morgan won't mind you using his office and we can find something for you to sleep on. We can find something for Rosie to sleep in as well."

"I can do that," he nodded before looking down at the baby. "It's just me in my apartment."

He put down his pen and stroked the rather unusual amount of black hair on Rosie's head, it was more than most six month old babies had. He couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked.

* * *

><p>Morgan and JJ walked to the kitchen to find Reid there with a bottle of formula warming up in some warm water, the baby in a sling that he had tied around his body.<p>

"Hey, kid," Morgan smiled. "Which one of you got hungry?"

"Don't be mean," JJ shook her head.

"She seems hungry so I made her a bottle," Reid smiled before looking to JJ. "Can you test it and tell me if it's too warm? I just want to double-check."

JJ placed some of the milk on her wrist and handed it back. "It's fine."

Reid took back the bottle and turned to them. "I'll see you later, I'm going to feed her in the office."

JJ and Morgan watched as Reid made his way back to the office and closed the door. Morgan looked at JJ and saw a look on her face.

"What are you thinking, JJ?"

"I'm worried," JJ sighed. "He looks really happy taking care of that baby."

"You're worried about what will happen when we find the uncle and the baby is given to child protective services, I know I'm worried too. Maybe, he hasn't got too attached to her."

* * *

><p>Reid sat Rosie on his lap and made faces at her causing the baby to giggle. He cleared his throat and spoke in his best Donald Duck impression. "Hello, Rosie. Is Spencer funny?"<p>

Rosie let out a small babyish giggle and waved her arms up and down, her green eyes alive with happiness. Spencer laughed and then brought Rosie into his arms so he was cradling her. The door opened and Rossi came into the room. "Reid, they found her uncle. He committed suicide by cop."

"Wait, that means CPS in on their way," Spencer realized. He didn't give a damn about the uncle as long as he was dead.

"They're going to be about an hour and then they're taking Rosie. She's being placed in a local orphanage till a foster family becomes available."

"Will she definitely find a foster family?" Reid questioned.

"I don't know," Rossi admitted. "There is a shortage at the moment and many foster families may not take her in because of the situation involving her family. Her mother, father, brother and other family are dead. It's sad when you think that she won't really remember them. I've seen some evil in the world and I can tell you that she has survived some of the worst of it."

Reid looked down at Rosie and saw her green eyes staring at him, in that second he knew what he had to do. "Rossi, I need your help."

* * *

><p>"This is highly irregular," the CPS worker said. "I can't possibly let her stay with your agent. She'll be looked after at the orphanage and as soon a foster family is available, she'll be placed with them."<p>

"Why won't you consider him to look after her?" Rossi argued.

"He's only spent one day with her, that doesn't prove he's capable of looking after her all the time. There is night feeds to consider and an abundance of other responsibilities that come with raising a child. He would also need to pass background checks, psychological tests and prove in a time period that he is willing to care for her."

"I'll do everything and anything that you want me to," Reid said as he came down the stairs with Rosie in his arms. "She's lost her whole family and she needs more support than an orphanage can give her. Just give me a chance. You can look at my psychological tests from here and I clearly have a good background or I wouldn't be an FBI agent. I am more than willing to take care of her."

"Everyone here will vouch for him," Hotch said as he looked at Reid who was gently rocking Rosie in his arms. "He has a stable home and is financially stable. Please, call your superiors and see if they will allow a temporary care order for the next few days, during that time you can do the assessment and take it from there."

The CPS worker sighed and then pulled out her cellphone. "I'll make some calls but I'm not guaranteeing anything."

* * *

><p>Half an hour had passed and Reid waited nervously for an answer on whether he could take Rosie home and look after her, he smiled at her as she slept in the car seat, her small pacifier rising and falling with each breath she took. He had never expected his day to go like this but he liked that it had. It was horrible that Rosie had lost her whole family but he felt like he was needed by her. Something about Rosie made him feel different and he liked the way he felt, the world around him was there but she was the center of it. He wondered if this was how father's felt. The door opened up and the team walked in with stoic looks of their faces, he bit his lip and took a shaky breath. "I guess I have to say goodbye."<p>

Garcia smiled and brought out a few pieces of paper. "Not at all, you've been granted temporary custody of Rosie."

"Really?" he grinned.

"Child protective services will be coming to your home to carry out the assessment and the custody order is for a week, at the end of the week they will decide if you are a suitable person to look after her which we all know you are. Why this sudden decision to take care of her?" Hotch asked.

Reid moved the blanket away from Rosie's chin. "I can't explain it but I feel happier than I have in a while. She's a little lost now with everything that has happened and I'm a little lost too. My whole life has been spinning lately but she stopped it and I just don't want to leave her to the world. She needs someone to look after her and I want to be that person."

A small noise came from the car seat before anyone else could talk. Rosie woke up, letting out a small yawn that had Garcia and JJ melting. Reid unbuckled her from her seat and brought her into his arms, he smiled as Rosie cooed and moved around in his arms. He looked up at the team. "Do you think I did the right thing?"

"Yes," Morgan nodded. "Her parents couldn't ask for anyone better to take care of their little girl now they are gone."

"I know I'm not her parents and that this has gone so quickly but I don't want to leave her to the system. I can take care of her."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Later that night<strong>

Reid looked at the small crib he had assembled, he had spent a small fortune getting everything he would need to take care of her. Garcia and the team had been great and had helped him get everything. Once he had finished putting the blanket and bottom on the crib, he walked over and picked up Rosie. Gently, he laid her down in the crib and made sure she was warm enough. She looked around the room before settling her eyes on him. "Hey, Rosie. I hope your new crib is comfortable. I'm so sorry about your parents and one day, when you're old enough, you'll know what happened. Until then, you should have a normal life."

He gently rocked the cradle and watched as the movement gently sent her to sleep. "Night, Rosie."

* * *

><p><span><strong>Four years later<strong>

"Uncle Morgan," Rosie yelled happily as she ran up the driveway of Rossi's home. Morgan swept her into his arms and hugged her.

"There's my favorite niece," he chuckled before coming away from the hug and holding her up. "I hope you've been good for your dad as Garcia has presents for you. This will be a great barbeque."

Reid came up the drive with a small pink bag over his shoulder. "Hey, Morgan."

"Hey, pretty boy," Morgan smiled. "Has Rosie here been a good girl?"

"She's been a little angel."

"Can I go get my presents now?" Rosie said excitedly. Morgan set her down and opened up the gate.

"Go for it," he nodded before watching her run down the pathway and into the back garden. Morgan turned to Reid and put an arm around him. "Fatherhood suits you."

"I'm not her real father though."

Morgan shook his head. "You've raised her since the day she lost her family and while you aren't her biological father, you are her adoptive father. I think that the day you met her, she chose you to keep her safe and that is all you've ever done. Her birth parents aren't around to raise her but they would be happy that you are raising her. She's your daughter, kid. Don't ever think you're not her father. Blood doesn't mean everything when it comes to having a family."

"She is my daughter," Reid smiled. "I just hope she still thinks of me as her father when I tell her about her real family when she's older."

"That is a very long time away. She'll understand in the future but now, you have to focus on the present."

"It's not even Rosie's birthday, why did Garcia by her presents?"

"Is there a week that goes by when Rosie doesn't get a present?" Morgan laughed gently.

"Very true," Reid agreed.

* * *

><p>Reid closed the book of fairy tales and looked up to see Rosie cuddling her bear. "Daddy, why do they live happily ever after?"<p>

"All the princes and princesses live happily ever after because they led good lives and even though they faced a hardship caused by magic, the good in their hearts beats the evil magical creatures and witches. Good people deserve to live happily ever after, it sometimes just takes a little effort to get there."

"Do you have a princess, daddy?" Rosie asked.

"I once had the most beautiful princess in the world, her name was princess Maeve and she ruled over my heart. Daddy and the princess talked all the time but I never saw her face. One day, an evil queen cast a spell that put Princess Maeve in a hundred year sleep. One day, when the time is right, daddy will see Princess Maeve again."

"I'm tired," Rosie yawned. Reid gave her a gentle smile before rising up from the small pink bed and covering her further with the blanket. Rosie snuggled against her teddy and watched as Reid switched the night-light on and turned the big light off. He came over and kissed her forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Rosie."

"Sweet dreams, daddy," Rosie yawned again. "Love you."

She closed her eyes and fell into a gentle slumber with her father watching over her. "I love you too, Rosie."

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